Lacer



Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES- LACER Orville B. Briggs, P'errysb'urg, Ohio, assignor to Safety Belt-Lacer Company, T'oledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1937, Serial No. 169,748

9 Claims.

' This invention relates generally to belt lacing equipment and refers more particularly to improvements in manually operable belt lacing apparatus of the portable type.

One of the principal features of the present invention resides in the provision of a compact and readily operable belt lacer composed of a relatively few simple parts capable of being inexpensively manufactured and assembled.

Another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provision of a relatively light and extremely simple device so designed as to permit the hooks to be fastened in the belt with a conventional tool, such as a hammer or a vise.

A further feature of the present invention consists in the novel means provided for effectively securing the belt lacing hooks in a predetermined position and for holding the ends of the belting in operative relation to the hooks.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a development view illustrating the relatively simple manner in which one part of the I holder is fashioned; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the hooks may be set by the use of an ordinary vise.

In general, the device A comprises a holder I and opposed jaws ll cooperating with each other to secure one end of the belting I 2 against the magazine 53 of the holder between the opposed. pointed ends of the hooks M. The hooks are secured in position in the holder in a manner to be presently described and are set in the free end portion of the belting by the use of either a hammer, or a Vise. In the event it is desired to hammer the hooks into the belt, the holder is placed on a steel plate I 5, or other suitable support, with the ends of the portions of the hook at the underside of the belt resting upon the support. The portions of the hooks at the top side of the belt are then subjected to successive blows by a hammer until the pointed ends of the hooks are effectively set in the belt. When setting the hooks in accordance with the above method, the holder It is elevated from the support by means of the pins 16 carried by the holder adjacent the longitudinal edge thereof which is opposite the edge adjacent the hooks. These pins are of sufii cient length to locate the pointed end portions of the hooks in planes substantially perpendicular to the belting so that the hooks will properly enter the belting and become effectively set in the latter during the hammering operation. An alternative method of setting the hooks into the belting is shown in Figure 5, and this method may be resorted to without altering the construction of the device. As will be observed from this figure, the holder H] of the device A is placed between the jaws of a conven- 1 5 tional vise in a position wherein the opposed end portions of the hooks are in registration with the jaws. The vise isthen tightened by the operator until the hooks are properly embedded in the belting.

Referring now more in detail to the device and with special reference to the holder, it will be noted that the magazine l3 of the holder comprises a U-shaped stamping having substantially parallel sides l8 and having a base portion I9 fashioned with a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots of sufficient width to receive ther'ebetween the hooks I4. In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have shown a development view of the strip of sheet metal employed to produce the magazine It. It will be noted that prior to rolling, or otherwise bending the magazine to its substantially U-shaped contour, the strip of sheet metal is subjected to a shearing die to form the required number of slots 20 in the finished'magazine. The number of slots, of course, depends on the number of hooks to be accommodated in the magazine. The strip of metal is then rolled, or otherwise fashioned, to the U-shaped contour illustrated in Figure 2, and a filler strip 22 is inserted between the side walls l8 and is secured to the latter by means of the pins It. The width of the filler 22 is so determined that the longitudinal edge thereof adjacent the base I9 of the U-shaped magazine section cooperates with the base l9 of the latter to form an axial passage for receiving the hook attaching pin 23. In accordance with conventional practice, the pin 23 engages the intermediate portions 24 of the hooks i l and secures the same in the slots.

One of the primary features of this invention consists in holding the hooks under tension in a predetermined position with respect to the belting and this is accomplished herein by supporting the magazine l3 in a channel 25 also preferably formed of a sheet metal stamping. The magazine has a sliding fit in the channel 25 and is assembled in the latter with the free longitudinal edges of the side walls l8 located adjacent the base 26 of the channel. The free longitudinal edge portions of the side walls of the channel 25 extend sufiiciently beyond the adjacent longitudinal edge of the filler 22 to engage the diverging portions 2'! of the hooks and to position the intermediate portions 24 of the hooks in spaced relation to the filler. The cross section shown in Figure 3 illustrates the position of the hooks prior to assembling the pin with the magazine and it will be noted from this view that the passage for the pin is actually smaller than the diameter of the latter requiring movement of the channel section 25 relative to the magazine in a direction to increase the size of this passage. This movement is permitted against the action of the springs 29 associated with the base 26 of the channel. As shown in Figure 2, the springs 29 encircle suitable screws 30 extending through openings in the base 26 of the channel and threaded into the insert 22 of the magazine.

. The outer ends of the springs 29 abut the heads of the screws and the inner ends of the springs abut the base of the channel 26. As a result of theforegoing construction, the hooks and channel are moved against the action of the springs 29 to provide the space required for the passage of the pin 23 through the magazine. In other words, after assembly of the pin 23 with the magazine, the free longitudinal edges of the channel 25 exert a yieldable force on the diverging portions 27' of the hooks in a direction to effectively clamp the intermediate portions 2 of the hooks against the pin 23. This construction prevents oscillation of the hooks in the slots 20 about the pin 23 and permits supporting these hooks in fixed relationship to the belting.

In connection with the above, it will be noted that the base portion 26 of the channel is cut away, as at 32, exposing the pins Hi and a portion of the magazine. The portion of the magazine exposed is sufficient to permit the operator to grasp the same and eifect the relative movement of the channel and magazine required to insert the pin 23 through the magazine in operative relation to the hooks.

The clamp H for holding the belt between the pointed end portions of the hooks during the setting operation is relatively simple and comprises a pair of spring wire members 34 secured to opposite ends of the holder in any suitable manner and having laterally spaced portions 35 extending transversely of the holder. The portions 35 cross each other, as at 36, adjacent the free ends thereof and terminate in stem portions 3'! which extend substantially parallel to the holder. A pair of spiral spring members respectively connect the stems 31 of the portions 35 of the spring wire members at opposite ends of the holder, and these springs form opposed jaws spaced from, but positioned directly 0pposite the magazine. The construction of the clamp is such that the springs normally contact each other throughout the length thereof and the intermediate portions 35 of the spring wire members are bowed outwardly with respect to one another so that movement of these portions toward each other effect a separation of the jaws and permit the belting to be inserted therebetween. One end of the belting is positioned between the hooks against the magazine and is yieldably clamped in this position. by the jaws during the interval the hooks are embedded into the belting.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be noted that I have provided a relatively simple, inexpensive belt lacing device which may be readily manipulated to perform its function of effectively securing the free ends of the belting together. It will also be noted that the device is compact and is formed principally of sheet metal stampings of relatively light weight.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In equipment for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed pointed ends, a holder having means for securing a series of hooks in predetermined fixed relation thereto, and a pair of opposed spring metal jaws both carried by the holder and having portions extending for substantially the full length of the holder to clamp belting therebetween with one end of the belting positioned between the points of said hooks.

2. In a device for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed diverging leg portions with pointed ends and having intermediate portions, a member having transversely extending slots in one longitudinal edge thereof for receiving the intermediate portions of the hooks to position the later relative to each other, a pin extending through the member and engageable with the intermediate portions of the hooks to hold said hooks in assembled relation with the member, a second member substantially channel-shaped in cross section slidably receiving said first member with the longitudinal edges thereof engaging the opposed diverging portions of the hooks, and yieldablemeans normally urging said channel member in a direction relative to the first member to eifectively clamp the intermediate portions of the hooks against said pin.

3. In a device for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed diverging leg portions with pointed ends and having intermediate portions, a magazine substantially U-shaped in cross section having the base portion transversely slotted at longitudinally spaced points to receive the intermediate portions of the hooks and position the latter with respect to each other, a pin extending axially through the U-shaped magazine in engagement with the intermediate portions of the hooks, and a channel-shaped strip sleeved on the opposite legs of the U-shaped magazine with the free edges of the flanges on the channel engageable with the opposed diverging portions of the hooks for holding the intermediate portions of said hooks into frictional engagement with the pin.

4. In a device for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed diverging leg portions with pointed ends and having intermediate connecting portions, a magazine substantially U- shaped in cross section having the base portion slotted at longitudinally spaced points to receive the intermediate portions of the hooks and to position the hooks with respect to each other, a pin extending axially through the U-shaped magazine between the base of the latter and the intermediate portions of the hooks, a substantially channel-shaped strip receiving the magazine with the longitudinal edges thereof engaging the opposed diverging portions of the hooks, and yieldable means normally urging the channel strip in a direction relative to the magazine to yieldably clamp the intermediate portions of the hooks against said pin.

5. In equipment for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed pointed ends, a holder having means for holding a series of hooks in a predetermined fixed relation to the holder, means on the holder adjacent the edge to the latter opposite the hooks and cooperating with the side portions of the hooks at one side of the holder to support the holder on a supporting surface, and means carried by the holder beyond the ends of the hooks for clamping belting with one end portion of the belting between the ends of the hooks and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the holder.

6. In equipment for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed pointed ends, a holder having means for holding a series of hooks in predetermined fixed relation to the holder, and members supported on the holder adjacent the edge of the latter opposite the hooks and having portions extending at substantially right angles to the holder beyond opposite sides of the holder to alternately cooperate with the opposed leg portions of the hooks to support the holder in inverted positions on a supporting surface.

7. In a device for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed diverging leg portions with pointed ends and having intermediate portions, a member having transversely extending slots in one longitudinal edge thereof for receiving the intermediate portions of the hooks to position the latter relative to each other and having provision for receiving a pin adapted to extend longitudinally of the member beyond the intermediate portions of the hooks to secure the hooks in assembled relation With said member, a channel-shaped strip slidably receiving said member with the free edges of the flanges of the strip engageable with the opposed diverging portions of the hooks for holding the intermediate portions of the hooks into frictional engagement with the pin, and a pair of opposed jaws secured to opposite ends of the member and having portions extending longitudinally of the member beyond the hooks to cooperate with one another in clamping belting with one end portion of the belting positioned between the points of the hooks.

8. In equipment for lacing belts with hooks of the type having opposed pointed ends, a holder having means for holding a series of hooks in va predetermined fixed relation to the holder, a

pair of spring pressed jaws carried by the holder and adapted to clamp a strip of belting there- 'between with one end of the strip of belting positioned between the ends of the hooks, and means on the holder engageable with a supporting surface to locate the holder with respect to the supporting surface in a position wherein the pointed ends of the hooks lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the belting.

9. In a device for lacing belts with hooks of the type having diverging leg portions with pointed ends and having intermediate portions, an elongated member having transversely extending slots in one longitudinal edge thereof for receiving the intermediate portions of the hooks and having provision for receiving a pin adapted to engage the intermediate portions of the hooks to hold the hooks in assembled relation with the member, a second elongated member substantially channel-shaped in cross section slidably receiving the opposite longitudinal edge portion of the first member and having the free longitudinal edges of the opposed flanges on the channel engageable with the diverging portions of the hooks at opposite sides of the intermediate portions of the latter for holding said intermediate portions in engagement with the pin, and means for holding the second member in assembled relation on the first member with the free longitudinal edges of the second member in engagement with the diverging portions of the hooks.

ORVIILE B. BRIGGS. 

